Old Slow Coach (episode)
Plot The Ffarquhar Scrapyards is a busy place; engines shunting and machines rumbling. Thomas and Percy had saved Old Slow Coach from this scrapyard. At first, she was happy, but after a while she got bored. "There's nothing to do." she complained to Percy. "There's always something to do on Sodor!" peeped Percy, "I'm sure you'll be used eventually." But Old Slow Coach didn't see it the same. One night, she was in Knapford Yards, watching Henry go by with the Flying Kipper. Henry whistled to try and cheer her up, but Old Slow Coach sighed and tried to close her eyes. She eventually fell asleep when two Diesels came, one behind her, another in front. It was 'Arry and Bert. "Heh heh heh, let's move this coach out of the way," giggled Bert, "After all, it is taking up space." The yardmaster didn't notice; he was talking to a workman about the fact that Pip and Emma's midnight train was coming soon. "Better hurry up and switch the points," said the yardmaster. 'Arry and Bert seized their chance and they scurried away. Old Slow Coach was blissfully unaware. When she woke up, she was suddenly in the scrapyards. "What the? How did this happen?!" she cried. 'Arry buffered up to her. "Oh, don't worry. The Fat Controller sent you here, but we're going to help you." "How?" asked Old Slow Coach hopefully; she didn't realize that 'Arry and Bert were devious. "Well, we'll hide you in an old shed. Then you'll never be found!" Old Slow Coach smiled. "Thank you! I don't want to be scrapped." So 'Arry took her to an old shed behind Elsbridge. He was relieved to find no trains yet. "In here," he whispered and he biffed her into the shed while his driver locked the door. Suddenly Toby arrived with his coach. "What are you doing here 'Arry? You're supposed to be at the Scrapyards!" he said suspiciously. "Well, uh, I was just, um, inspecting the station." 'Arry said, hoping that Toby wouldn't notice the shed. Toby lowered his eyebrows as 'Arry scurried away to tell his brother his victory. "Something doesn't seem right," said Henrietta. "You're telling me," replied Toby as the passengers boarded the train. "Are you sure that something didn't happen?" said Victoria. "You never know with him!" added Elsie. Toby sighed as the guard blew his whistle. "I can't quite puzzle it out, I'm afraid," and he puffed away. That night, Toby puffed into Ffarquhar Sheds. Thomas and Percy were frantic. "Have you seen Old Slow Coach in the yard?" asked Percy. Toby thought about it. "Um, no actually." replied the tram. Percy looked to Thomas. "I didn't see her this morning! And she was right there when I took the mail train last night!" cried Thomas. "Then... what do we do?" asked Toby. "Maybe we can just "let it go?" chuckled Toby's driver. "Shut up about that song. It's overrated," huffed Percy. "No it isn't! You don't know art when you see it!" cried Toby's driver, "and besides, have you even heard it?" "We heard it all the time at Knapford... Anyway, perhaps we can search for her," suggested Percy. "I doubt that'd do much good. Coaches can't move on their own, and something just can't disappear out of thin air," added Toby. "Unless there's magic involved, but that impossible,' pondered Thomas' driver. "That means she was stolen!" gasped Thomas, "That's it. In the morning, we search." "But... I wanna sleep in," grumbled the fireman. "Oh, don't slack off," laughed Percy's driver, "Besides, you won't have too much work to do." Thomas' fireman grumbled as the humans walked away to catch Bertie the Bus to take them home. The engines fell asleep. The next morning, the engines explained their plan to their drivers. "A coach going missing? Isn't that odd?" said Thomas' driver. "Still, we better search." said Toby's fireman, "It's the best we can do." So wherever the engines went, they asked everybody if they had seen her. At Dyraw, Thomas asked Bertie. "Sorry Thomas. I don't even know who she is!" Thomas sighed and puffed away. At the Ffarquhar Quarry, Toby asked Mavis. "I think I might've seen her a week ago." she pondered. "That's too long ago..." sighed Toby. "Well maybe she'll turn up," suggested Mavis and she biffed into some trucks. At the Scrapyards, Percy asked 'Arry and Bert. "Did you take her or anything like that?" he asked bravely. "Oh sorry Percy," 'Arry said innocently, "We haven't done anything." Percy lowered his eyes. "Yeah, sure..." he huffed and he puffed away with his train of scrap. The three engines held a meeting at Toryeck about the problem. "I feel 'Arry and Bert have something to do with it!" said Percy. "How?" asked Thomas. "Because when I went to the Ffarquhar Scrapyards, they acted all innocent. I could tell something was going on." Thomas and Toby looked to each other. "Maybe... she's at the Scrapyards!" cried Thomas and he raced off. Meanwhile, Rosie was puffing on the Branch Line with some supplies for Ned; he was going to knock down the old shed behind Elsbridge. She puffed into Elsbridge, to find Ned with a wrecking ball. "This is going to be fun! I love wrecking things!" cheered Ned. "It's just an old shed..." muttered Rosie. "Nonsense," said the stationmaster, "We need to knock this down so we can improve the look of our nice station." Ned swung his wrecking ball at the shed and the ball knocked against the wooden shed. The roof collapsed in seconds. Old Slow Coach, who was still inside, was confused and afraid. "Stop! I'm in here!" she cried. Ned's operator heard the voice. "What... But... the door's locked! How can anything be in there!" Ned was worried. "Perhaps there's a ghost in there! I heard that-" "Enough of this nonsense," retorted the stationmaster, "Just unlock the door and we'll see what this 'ghost' really is." He unlocked the door to find a coughing coach inside. "Who's that?" wondered Rosie. "Oh, I know who that is!" cried the statonmaster, "Old Slow Coach! She went missing yesterday! But how did she get in there?" Old Slow Coach sighed. "I was going to be scrapped, when a kind Diesel led me here in this shed." Rosie and Ned looked to each other. "You don't mean... Mavis?" asked Ned nervously. "No," replied Old Slow Coach, "She was black with yellow hazard stripes. At first he looked scary but-" "'Arry and Bert!" cried Rosie and she pulled Old Slow Coach from the wreckage. And with one final effort, Ned knocked the shed down. "Thanks, I suppose..." sighed Old Slow Coach, "I just ended up in the Scrapyards! I don't know how." Suddenly Thomas whistled into the station. He was surprised to find Rosie with Old Slow Coach. "Rosie! Where'd you find Old Slow Coach?" "In the shed behind the station," replied Rosie, "But I still don't understand. 'Arry or Bert stole her I'm assuming and pushed her into the shed, lying to her." Old Slow Coach was furious. "Nobody lies to me! Nobody!" she spluttered. Thomas was cross. "We'll alert the Fat Controller," replied Thomas' driver and Thomas left with Annie and Clarabel. At Knapford, the Fat Controller was eating his lunch of two grilled cheese sandwichs and a soda when Lady Hatt came in. "Come on, don't you think grilled cheese is not so healthy for your diet? Your doctor said-" "I don't care what my doctor said, I'm hungry!" retorted the Fat Controller when his cell phone rang. "Ugh, at least I can still sit at the table..." He picked it up and answered, "What? Old Slow Coach was found? Oh, how nice. Yes, yes... 'Arry and Bert?! I'll talk to them right after I eat my grilled cheese. Delicious. Bye." and the Fat Controller hang up. "Um, I'm pretty sure you should go now." warned Lady Hatt. "Fine, but I'm taking my food with me." The Fat Controller drove away in his car to the Ffarquhar Scrapyards. At the Ffarquhar Scrapyards, 'Arry told Bert what he had done. "Brilliant! Just brilliant!" laughed Bert when the Fat Controller drove up. "What did you two do to Old Slow Coach?" Suddenly a workman ran up. "I got a phone call from the yardmaster at Knapford. Records say Old Slow Coach was taken during the night by two Diesels." The Fat Controller put his hands on his hips. "Why in the world would you want to steal Old Slow Coach?" 'Arry looked to Bert, who was furious. "You said that old shed was hidden!" cried Bert. "It was!" replied 'Arry. "Well, then how did they find out about it?" "...well?" asked the Fat Controller sternly. "We wanted to see her get scrapped... We hated it when she escaped with those two puffballs. We thought we'd catch her..." said Bert sadly. The Fat Controller sighed. "Well, you two are not allowed out of these scrapyards until I can trust you. Is that understood?" 'Arry and Bert gulped. "Yes sir..." At the yard, Thomas was talking to Old Slow Coach. "The Fat Controller told me you're now my Special Coach!" he puffed. "What? But... what do you mean?" "It's a special coach that's only used for passengers who want to travel on my branch. The big engines bring it," explained Thomas. Old Slow Coach was very happy. Now she travels with Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel, who gladly accepted her company. Once in a while, she travels with Percy or in a VIP Express. But she is just glad to be useful. Characters *Thomas *Percy *Toby *Mavis *'Arry and Bert *Rosie *Bertie *Henrietta *Old Slow Coach *Ned *Victoria *Elsie *The Fat Controller *Lady Hatt *Henry (does not speak) *Annie and Clarabel (do not speak) *Arthur (cameo) *Murdoch (cameo) *Pip and Emma (mentioned) Category:Sodor Adventures